The Scent of Love
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters within the stories.
Summary: After a late night of Weasley pranking, Ginny finds herself locked in a closet with a yummy smelling young man. His mysterious identity fascinates her, as does his clever mind and nimble hands. Can she find true love sight unseen, identity unknown?
Authors Note: I'd like to confess that something similar to this (but obviously not exactly the same) happened to me in high school and was the inspiration for the story. Also, I'm requesting a bit more reviewing…I have hits out the wazoo for both chapters but no one's reviewing. That's just not cool, people!
Chapter 3
She'd just slid into her nice warm bed when her dorm mates came bursting in through the door. They twittered and giggled until laying eyes on her; then silence reigned and an uncomfortable staring contest ensued.
"And where were you all last night, hmm?" a tall blonde girl asked suspiciously. "Decide on the way back from your nightly kitchen run to redecorate the Great Hall?"
"I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about, Pricilla. I fell asleep in the kitchens. The house elves just covered me with a blanket and left me be," Ginny replied in her most bored tone, rolling her eyes. A snort of disbelief followed this statement.
"Prissy, stop. Can't you tell by her hair she's telling the truth?" a girl named Amelia quietly defended. Ginny shot her friend a grateful smile, then returned her attention to Pricilla.
"Maybe she didn't do the Hall, and maybe she did fall asleep somewhere, but I doubt it was in the kitchens. And I doubt she was alone!" The congregation gasped at the implied accusation.
"What exactly are you trying to say, Prissy dear?" Ginny asked in a quiet, dangerous tone. Completely oblivious to impending danger, Pricilla continued.
"That even if you're innocent of doing the Great Hall, highly unlikely, and you really did fall asleep some…where…well…" her voice began to falter as she noticed Ginny's eyes. Being a Gryffindor though, however vile, she shored up her courage with anger and continued. "Well, you probably weren't alone. I'll bet anything you spent the entire night, alone, with one of those idiots who sniff after you like a bitch in heat!" She finished with a voice was so shrill some of the other girls covered their ears in pain. Her pretty, heart shaped face was red and blotchy, a vein pulsing in her forehead. Ginny watched her carefully while getting out of bed. She was preparing for yet another all out argument with the girl when Amelia once again timidly stepped up to her defense.
"Stop it. I'd stake anything that everything happened exactly as Ginny said it did. I'm sure she's innocent of the Hall prank; who ever did that is sick and perverted. And…um…" the poor thing faltered, unable to continue under so many intense stares.
"Shut up, you stammering idiot! You-"
"Hey, leave Amelia alone," another girl protested, shouting over Pricilla. The others followed suit, moving to form a protective angry wall in front of the tiny brunette. Ginny barely managed to cover a laugh at the look on Pricilla's face. With a loud huff, the tall girl swirled dramatically on her heel and stormed off.
"I'm fine, really. All she did was yell." Bemused but happy, Amelia responded quietly her dorm mates expressions of concern until, finally, they all drifted away to a weekend of homework and gossip.
After the other girls had left, Ginny and Amelia sat on the floor facing each other.
"Thanks for standing up for me just now. I don't know how I would have gotten that bull dog off my back," Ginny said with a relieved sigh.
"Not a problem…Ginny?"
"Hmm?"
"What really happened last night?" Ginny proceeded to tell her the entire story. The two girls talked and giggled until lunch, coming up with ridiculous identities for Ginny's mystery man.
X X X
Lunch was served by the lake that day. Flitwick had volunteered to remove the "decorations" and had been at it for hours despite the relative simplicity of the charms used. Some how, he kept getting distracted.
"Come on, Dean, play look out, please. I just want one peek! I didn't get to see this morning," Seamus whined.
"Maybe-"
"Boys!" Hermione's shrill voice broke the pleasant chatter in the late summer warmth. "No one- I repeat NO ONE- will take one step towards that vulgarity until it has been properly eliminated."
"But, Hermione-"
"NO, Seamus," Ron broke in forcefully, his face the color of a tomato. "Stuff like that's not fit to be seen. It's…it's-"
"Disgusting," Hermione supplied.
"Yeah, disgusting-"
"Degrading to women!"
"Right-"
"Repuls-"
"Hermione, enough; will you let me finish? Please?"
"Oh, sorry," she said sheepishly, covering her mouth with a hand as the other students laughed.
"Right, anyways," Ron said loudly, trying to get everyone's attention. "It's horrible, and none of you, especially you silly little first years, had better even think of going to take a peek. You do, Hermione and I will have you in detention so long you'll be their till you're old. Got me?" He glared down everyone around him until they couldn't look him in the eye. "Right, glad that's settled. Ginny, pass me the potatoes."
X X X
"Did you see his face," Ginny squealed quietly to Amelia.
"Is it safe for him to be so red," she asked, concern twisting her brow. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"He tries to play it off as a prefect duty, but look at him. He's uncomfortable as hell and it's not because the squid fancy's his lunch. Hmpf! Serves him right," she growled, viciously tearing into her chicken.
2nd Author's Note: I'm sorry, I know it's short. I'm kind of hitting a wall. The only thing I had a clear idea of was their first meeting and after they find out who the other is. Everything in the middle is foggy. Forgive me if updates are slow. I promise I will try to keep them regular, though.